I am woman hear me run

Hello there lovelies!
I hope you all had a marvelous holiday. I did. I didn't go too crazy and I seem to have only gone up a few pounds on the scale. I had 3 family meals, plus I've been home and cooking up all my favourites, because I simply have the time. I'm not one for sweets and such, to that's not a problem for me this time of year. Even eggnog is rather meh. I just don't like the bloated feeling I get when I overeat so I generally don't too much. It's the Johnnycake and pancakes that get me :). But I know a few days of this is OK, and I'm now back at things. I wanted to log the last 2 workouts I've had now that I'm back on program again. I've been in the last two days for a full on workout. Yesterday was lower body and abs with 30 min HIT jog/run and today was upper body with 30 minutes on the bike. Booya.
I've pretty much confirmed something I suspected about the multiple benefits of exercise for me. It's amazing how at the beg…

A most Merry Christmas to you all!

Last night was nice at first. Little puff pancakes and sausages and games and spiced tea. It was fun. I ate just enough to be happy. Not too much overboard. Any more would have been too much actually. BUT, unfortunately 30 minutes after my sis-in-law presented me with a surprise dessert. She had spent hours making danish rice almond pudding and gave us each a HUGE bowl of it covered in cherry pie filling (??) and gave it to us with a big expectant smile.
Oh dear.
Now I love me some rice pudding, so other than the pie filling (not a fan) I figured it would be OK. It is her favourite thing and I've never tried it before. It was OK...but I know it meant a lot to her (and she is very very sensitive...OK I'm being nice-too sensitive) so I politely ate it all, pie filling included. Not too bad a combination actually, but still...not my thing. I was WAY too full of rich food. It was a cereal bowl FULL of pudding. Just too much, even on an empty stomach. And so for the rest of the eveni…

This morning is Klien Yule! 2 sleeps until christmas. Me hee!

I discovered many yummy things yesterday. J and I went to see Tron (awesome BTW) and before the movie stopped at a favourite local place for supper. Delicious. Cafe Soleil opened about a year ago and I can't get enough of the place. They make a lot of their own product to sell (jams, jellies, pickles, pasta, flavoured oil...) and pair up with local ethical farms for all their produce. They have a small bakery and store in the back for healthy ethically grown veg and meat and high quality spices and teas and their small restaurant has a killer wine selection and delicious nibbles. I had quiche and a deadly salad with roasted pecans and pickled beets in it. J had something equally nommy. I left with some apple spice butter for christmas morning. Yum. Local grown and made with love. Gotta love it.

This morning I got up and came in to work out. I did a full on upper body workout, with the 10 Lb dumbells and didn't skimp a…

Last night I had a wonderful evening at a friends solstice gathering. There was healthy delicious food, wine and good people. Time to reflect on the past year and the year to come. Great time... I feel very grateful for all I have.

Despite getting home at about midnight I still got up to work out this morning. I am tired, but seeing as I don't know what next week will give me workout-wise, I'm trying to get in every workout this week. So far so good. I went on the arc trainer this morning for 30 minutes and then did some core and ab work. I was stubborn this morning and and I should have stopped the arc trainer and switched to the bike as my knee was getting stiff. I ignored it because I was enjoying my time...and now it is stiff. I'll leave it alone for a while. Stick to the bike. Boring. Necessary. Perhaps I need a frying pan to hit my head with so I remember. I tell ya, if stubbornness could heal something I'd be all better by now :)

It's funny how what I do now I…

This AM I was up and in the gym for my leg work, as well as 30 minutes on the treadmill -fast walking with a 2% incline. I feel lazy though...I always do when I walk and don't run. Like I'm cheating. I know it was good for me though, and until the pool reopens mid january I'm filling in my tuesdays and thursdays with other things...the bike just gets boring so I'm trying to change it up a little.
Today I have a solstice party to go to after work...can't wait. Visiting with good friends. Tasty food. Wine. Hopefully some skating...maybe a walk outside.

Hope you all caught the lunar eclipse last night. It was gorgeous. We set the clock to get up to see it. It was chilly but worth it...so beautiful. It was the first lunar eclipse on the solstice since the middle ages...I'm glad it wasn't clouded over. If it weren't for the big tree in the yard we could have watched it from our bed out the window. THAT would have been the best :)

Have a great day!

Whew.
Long fun weekend.
I have a great trim and colour in my hair and I've finished up my christmas shopping.
Yesterday was christmas dinner at J's grandma's and it was a nice visit. I ate well, but healthy, and received lots of compliments. I wore some of my new clothes that fit well and are really flattering...It felt nice to look nice. And there was turkey and cabbage rolls...mmm...:)
After that it was b-movie night at a friends. We were still full from our big late turkey lunch so we just went over to watch the wierdest christmas film I've seen (a 1959 mexican christmas film called Santa Claus...bizarre). We should have had something to eat first, as we spent the evening grazing on crap food. I didn't have any eggnog, but I did munch on a *lot* of snack mix. I'm not proud of that. I need to learn to not go to where there will be crap food when I will be hungry later...chips are my one munchie weakness. I tried to keep it together but I was hungry towards the en…

Today was my day off, but with a potluck at work so it's been quite a relaxing day. I got to sleep in a fair bit and wander in to the gym whenever I felt like it, have a long, solid unrushed workout (yay) and then a great potluck at work for lunch. I work with people form all over the world so our potlucks there are always great. A little bit of everything to have a bite of. Yum.

I took advantage of the time off and spent the afternoon doing some christmas shopping. It's so much nicer during the day when the crowds aren't so bad. I dislike shopping as a rule, so holiday obligatory shopping gets my hackles up. I just have one person left and I know what I'm getting them, so it's just a matter of picking it up after my haircut tomorrow. Not a lot of gifts this year (drew names for adults or donated to charity for them and then stuff for the little ones) and I'm glad. I only get things for people if it suits them...otherwise $$. But, man that adds up and I'm n…

After meeting friends for beer and supper last night I stayed up until after 1 helping J build a set for something he's shooting today. So instead of getting up at 5 I slept in as long as I could this morning to make sure I'll survive today. I'm going to work out after work instead, seeing as J works all night and all I really need have planned for today is to find Christmas gifts for my nieces. The sleep sure was needed. I would not have survived today on 4 hours of sleep...
After a healthy breakfast I'm in to work.
Here we go :)

This morning I was a bit stiff in my butt and knees from yesterdays super sonic sweatfest, so I took it a bit slower. I need to keep from getting carried away and hurt myself...so I did 10 minutes on the treadmill and 20 on the bike, and then all my ab stuff, as it's "ab day". After a healthy breakfast I'm good to go.
I baked a bunch of pumpkin cookies and eggnog cookies last night to send with Dad out to my sister and home with my friend Magnus today...and there's a few left for us. Yum.
It's a snowy day. We had frozen rain and then a tonne of snow and wind last night. This morning, being out the door at the stupid hour I am, I'm usually making the first tracks to the bus next to the jackrabbits that live in our area. No one has shovelled by then so it's always an adventure. Some of the drifts on the way to the bus came up to my knees.

It's officially winter :)

This morning was back to regular workouts -up and in the gym by 6. After my lower body weight work I had an itch to seriously sweat and I hopped on the arc trainer and put on a favourite psytrance CD of mine...and for the first time since I used to run "it" happened. About 5 minutes in, I closed my eyes, kept up to the rhythm of the music and just moved and enjoyed the music and grinned. At ~140 bpm I was flying and breathing and...wow. I went off into "that" zone where you move and breathe and feel and before I knew it my workout was over.
Bliss.
I didn't think I'd ever get that without a run...I'm so glad about that. It's so very zen for me to get lost in the music like that. The kind of thing that makes you glad to be alive. The same feeling I get sometimes dancing. This is my favourite kind of music. A bit odd for most I know, but nothing makes me move like this...
*grin*

Have a great day everyone.
I know I will...today I get to relax after work with…

Bliss is mine.
The semester is over.
After a week of crazy and a weekend of study study study and the odd meltdown I have written my exam and think I did OK on it. And, best of all...all things are in and my academic duties for this semester are OVER! Sure I can do stuff here and there on my project, but I have survived the insanity. I can hardly believe it. I have my life back! My Dad is in town visiting for a few days and so now I can relax and visit with him for a bit before he flies to my sister's on Wednesday. I can bake cookies...
you know...normal people stuff :)

This morning, because of my exam, I didn't come in to workout, I did my old trusty ball DVD at home and had a big bowl of Fibre One cereal for breakfast while I looked over my notes for the last time. The DVD seemed really easy. Too easy. I guess that means I'm doing OK fitness wise :) I'd like to have gotten more in, but it is the way of things. Tomorrow is another day and I can be back at things, so it…

I got up this AM for my arms and cardio workout. Upper body + 30 minutes on the arc trainer. Then cottage cheese with pineapple and blueberries for breakfast. YUM.

After much meetings, and finishing up my last paper that is due (he hee) I have to give my speech today for my MSc that was rescheduled. I think I'm ready. When I missed my bus the other day I picked up an awesome pair of cords, and they fit perfectly. I've gotten compliments all day on how I look... and many comments on the thinness. It's kind of creeping me out actually. Oh well...I do feel all posh and smart in my new comfy stretch cords and a nice black sweater. The cords look great but feel like pajama pants. So nice...

Hopefully the speech goes well. Then I can hand in my paper...and THEN...study all weekend . Oh joy. :) 4 days left! Meep!

Last night was a comedy of errors.
A bunch of us from work met for drinks after and I managed to get there a bit late, and then missed my bus to leave, so I sat with a coworker for a bit until his ride came and then caught the next one 30 minutes later (the bus service here is not stellar). I had to run some errands and got stuck talking to someone that wouldn't stop (I have no skills to shut that sort of thing down when I have to leave)...finally got away and tried to go home....and missed the bus. So I went inside the mall and went shopping a bit - found a nice pair of cords (size 5!) and came out...and missed my bus again. So...bit more unsuccessful shopping and finally made a bus to get home about an hour after I'd planned...I did about an hour of studying but then I kept falling asleep so I just gave in and went to bed. I must have needed it as I fell asleep in seconds and I woke up this morning feeling very rested. Unfortunately I didn't get in half the studying I had…

This morning is a chilly one. I woke up with a killer headache - I think I've been up too late too much working on homework lately. It was another late night, but we went grocery shopping and are stocked up on all kinds of yummy healthy stuff. We even have persimmons :).
I came in today to do 36 minutes on the arc trainer and then some core and ab work. The gym is so quiet these days. It's nice. I'm sort of dreading what I expect will be a January rush. Usually it's a challenge to find an outlet to plug in your dryer to. This morning I had my pick of them all...

After a nice breakfast I'm ready to go... I'm hoping tonight I can finish my paper so I can study for my monday exam. Busy busy busy. Bee bee bee.

But soon. Soooooon! Muahahaha!

Music to work out to: Freestylers - Pressure Point.

crossposted on my other blog...

Mmm...I just finished my breakfast of cottage cheese and peaches. I can still taste it. Yum...just yum. I still can't believe that that is one of my favourite breakfasts. Strange how things go like that...
This morning I crawled out into the cold cold world and came in to do my upper body weights workout and then 35 minutes on the treadmill nice and fast at incline 2. I admit to breaking into a run for 2 minutes near the end during a favourite song and then reigning myself in again. It's so hard. I'm one of those nutters that LOVES to run...it just isn't good for my knee and I know it. And I must be good, because my knee, for the first time in a LONG LONG while, is utterly and completely normal. In fact, it's better than normal. I've been doing one legged lunges the last few weeks with no complaints and last night I bounded up the stairs to get something at home. In the past this would have elicited a twinge or pinch.

Now? Nothing. …

This morning I was up and to the gym to do my legwork and ab work and 30 minutes on the bike. It's a chilly morning today but the sky is crystal clear...stars were very bright. Orion's in the horizon as I walk to the bus. Gorgeous.
This weekend I got a lot of work done, but also lots of relaxing. It was J's christmas thing with the people he works with and we got all poshed up and went out for turkey dinner and bowling (bowling in a skirt is not easy...). Then some tipsy rock band at a coworkers house. I'm embarrassed to say I curled up on the couch and napped at the end...it's been a long week. They just kept on without me and made sure I was comfy :)

This weekend I ate my very first persimmon. It's pretty much not in season for all other fruits at the moment except for apples or bananas (and I can't have any oranges...*sigh*) so I grabbed one to try. Yum. I love it. It's a very different flavour...I think I'm hooked. I'll definitely get some mo…

This morning was my last day of classes for the semester :). I was up late finishing a paper, but I still got up and braved the cold to make it in to work out. The gym was rather empty. Made me wonder if it'll be that way until exams are over...and wonder how full it will be in the spring with everyone resolutioning...hope it doesn't get too crowded.
I did my upper body today. I bumped up from 8Lb dumbells to 10 lb ones. Owie. A challenge :)
I hopped on the bike for 30 minutes and then did some ab work...

I really am getting msucles in my legs now. In fact I am getting a bit concerned that some of the exercises I'm doing to my lower body are making my outer thighs larger than I'd like so I'm going to do a bit of research into what exercises don't make for bigger thighs but will still strengthen my knees.

I am excited that we got our contract signed at work so we got a bit of backpay...so I can go shopping for a few new clothes, which will be great. I'm lacking …

Hello :)

This morning I crawled out from under my fluffy winter duvet (I just pulled it out...so fluffy....) and came in to do my legwork. I tried the 1 leg lunges again...whew! Because I just thought "boring!" when I looked at the bike today I hopped on the treadmill, turned on the iPod to some Prodigy, ramped the incline up and walked as fast as I could (about 7.4 kph) for 35 minutes. It felt great...it was tough to not break into a run because it is just what feels right to me, but I enjoyed it SO much. The movement. The flow. Something about moving my arms naturally along with everything else makes it so very zen for me. Add to that one of my favourite cooking shows on the gym TV for me to peek at and learn how to make wine glazed plums and custard (hello Christmas dessert!) and it's been a great morning so far.

Today is my last official day of classes and so from this point on there are only 2 assignments left, my MSc meeting/speech which was (grrr) rescheduled from M…

This morning I felt much more alive. We ordered in food last night and relaxed. Ate a bit to much chinese but it was glorious to NOT do any homework for one night. Even went to bed early. It was lovely.
I came in and worked out - 35 minutes on the arc trainer, some arm weights and then a bunch of ab and core exercises. I'm good to go. My breakfast is some fruit and cottage cheese and a whackload of coffee.

And now - back to it :) Have a good day!